Hi, I'm on the fence about buying tickets to Wolf Hall. I love British history and particularly the Henry VIII saga - so content wise, it is a good match for me. I think the cost (twice a much as other shows because of needing to buy Part 1 & 2) and the time (6 hours) is giving me bit of pause.
Would love input from those who have seen it whether they enjoyed it or not - and if they felt is was "worth" the time and money it entails to see it.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
It was a stunning thrilling amazing six or so hours of theatre, for me it was up there with the original Broadway production of Angels in America, this is event theatre at its finest.... Go see it, you will regret it if you don't!
I've only seen Part Two, and I went with a friend who had comps so the cost didn't factor into anything for me, but I found it really excellent. I'm not terribly familiar with the history behind it, and it's not a genius piece of writing, but I found it very engaging, with excellent acting and directing. There may be some discounts out there if the cost is something that worries you, but given your interest in the subject matter I think it's worth your time.
I wanted to love this so much; I could admire it and appreciate the great acting and writing. But so help me, the thing bored me to tears. And look, I love wordy plays-- Stoppard is perhaps my favorite British playwright. I just didn't get lift-off watching Part One, so never returned for Part Two.
I'm with you, SIAT. REALLY wanted to love this and even started reading Wolf Hall before I caught the marathon. Sadly, I ended up merely enjoying the show overall and did not leave the theater with the awe mentioned by many here. I am particularly a fan of Elizabeathen history, so I imagined I would have been enthralled by this but in the end, I was merely (moderately) entertained.
If the material is of interest to you I would definitely recommend it. If you are worried about cost there are still some discounts out there I believe. I know they also frequently have performances (often the Wednesday ones) on TDF if you're a member. There is some outstanding acting (Ben Miles, Nathaniel Parker, Lydia Leonard, and Lucy Briers are all worth the price of admission imo) wonderful costume design, and it all flows nicely with a unique presentation. I will admit the first act of Part One is a brain workout. Lots of characters being introduced and chess pieces being moved into place. But then it really takes off.
I really loved it but I agree that the subject matter should really interest you or else you'll probably be bored and confused.
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